Microcogeneration system, located in the facilities of the Energylab research center (Vigo), which consists of a thermal fuel boiler of thermal 60 kW in which hot water of up to 90ºC is obtained and that feeds an organic Rankine cycle (ORC). The ORC is similar to the basic Rankine cycle, but instead of water it operates with an organic R245fa fluid whose boiling point is 15,3ºC, which allows the use of heat at low temperature and, which simplifies the traditional process in terms of complexity and cost.
The use of the presented system allows the simultaneous obtaining of electrical energy (up to 4,4 kWe) and heat from biomass unvalued residuals (pruning vine, kiwi, scrub), contributing to decrease and even eradicate the energy dependence of its users.
The application of the technology studied will allow the implementation of microcogeneration, simultaneous obtaining of heat and electricity, at the residential-tertiary level from residual biomass. In addition and since the optimal operation of the ORC only depends on the temperatures of the hot and cold focus, it can be used with any type of biomass as long as the appropriate boiler is available and applied in other sectors such as livestock. The versatility and modularity of the system would allow its implantation in small industries with residual heat sources without boiler.
The study of the microcogeneration process through the use of biomass is a totally cutting-edge technology. There are currently more than 16 manufacturers worldwide, but only a few offer power solutions within the residential and tertiary range (up to about 50 kWe) due to the difficulty of incorporating standardized equipment. Therefore, this technology allows the power generation for self-consumption supported by the EU (Directive 2009 / 28 / CE and Directive 2012 / 27 / UE).
Especially innovative is the use of unvalued biomass, thus allowing to contribute to the development of a circular economy by converting a waste without any value and whose management involves costs, in valuable resources, considerably improving the competitiveness of the sectors involved.
ENERGYLAB has presented this candidacy for the Innovation Prize Expobiomasa 2019. More information about the Innovation Award here